LEWISTON — A Sabattus man on Monday denied felony charges stemming from a head-on crash last summer.
Nicholas Hebert Submitted photo
Nicholas Hebert, 34, appeared in 8th District Court by videoconference from Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn, where he pleaded not guilty to four felony charges that included aggravated criminal operating under the influence of alcohol, driving to endanger, operating after revocation and reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon.
Each charge is punishable by up to five years in prison.
He also denied three misdemeanor charges, including criminal operating under the influence of alcohol, driving to endanger and operating after suspension.
Hebert was indicted last week on the seven charges by an Androscoggin County grand jury.
Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Winter told Judge Sarah Churchill that Hebert twice violated the terms of his bail after he was released from jail from his arrest stemming from the August crash.
Winter said Hebert had been free on bail with conditions not to have or consume alcohol when, in November, he was charged with domestic violence assault during which he was alleged to have been drinking alcohol.
In January, Hebert was found in a vehicle with alcohol and the woman he was accused of assaulting.
Hebert admitted Monday to the bail violations.
Winter said the fact that Hebert repeatedly violated the terms of his release from jail that were imposed as a result of a “very serious crash shows that this defendant is not capable of taking any bail conditions seriously.”
She urged the judge to have Hebert held without bail until trial.
Judge Churchill set Hebert’s bail at $1,000 cash plus supervised release. He must remain on house arrest at his cousin’s home in Sabattus except for work, substance abuse treatment, medical and legal appointments, she said.
Hebert may not have any alcohol or illegal drugs for which he can be searched. He must undergo substance abuse treatment and have no contact with any of the people injured in the head-on crash.
Hebert may not operate a motor vehicle unless he were to do so lawfully, Churchill said.
Police said the car Hebert was driving about 8 p.m. on Aug. 11, 2022, crossed the double-yellow line on Crowley Road in Sabattus into oncoming traffic. The car sideswiped a minivan and collided head-on with a Dodge Dakota driven by Michael Ratcliff, 32, of Lewiston, who was evaluated at the scene and released, police said.
Hebert, who was alone in his vehicle, sustained minor injuries, police said.
The driver of the minivan and seven other family members ranging in age from 10 months to 57 years old also were injured.
Several of them were taken to a Lewiston hospital with injuries described as serious but not life-threatening.
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